Disappearing-top desk.



M. TOSO.

DISAPPBARING TOP DESK.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED JUNI: 24, 1909.

947,359. Patented Jan.25, 1910.

MARCELLINO TOSO, F SAN BRUNO, CALIFORNIA.

DISAPPEARING-TOP DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

llatented J an. 25, 1910.

Application filed .Tune 24, 1909. Serial No. 504,201.

To all whomv it may concern:

Be it known that I, MancELLrNo Toso, a citizen oit Italy, residing at San Bruno, in the county of San Mateo and State of California, have invented new and uset'ul Improvements in Disappearingfop Desks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a desk, and particularly pertains to adjustable or d isappearing top desks.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive desk for general use, embodying a filing cabinet o'tI large capacity, and an in'iportant object is to provide means whereby the desk may practically, easily and successfully be transformed into a simple flat-top table.

A valuable feature of this desk is its especial design, which provides ample drawerroom and filing area, and is a con'it'ortable, convenient, dust-prooi:l article.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reierence to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a :trout elevation of the improved desk, with cabinet raised. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line a'-a' Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line y y Fig. 2. Fig. 4l is a section on line e-z Fig. 3.

[n the present embodiment of my invention I show a popular design of desk having a good, substantial top board 2, ot suitable dimensions, supported upon legs 3, into which are rabbeted the sides -l and back 5, and a false back (3 is provided, between which back 5 and false back (i, is a space in which is slidably mounted a tiling cabinet 7 ot' suitable arrangement. Ilorizontal drawers 8 are provided upon each side at the front ot' the desk, which extend back to the false-back 6, and are o't' such width as to leave sutlicient space between them for the legs and feet of the user of the desk.

The important feature of the invention is the slidable cabinet 7 which is so mounted as to slide up and down through an opening 9, provided in the top 2, and it is guided by the panels 10 secured in the back and falseback 6.

Referring to Fig. 3, the cabinet 7 is shown lowered so that its top 2'L is flush with the main desk top 2, and is supported upon suitable stops 11 secured to the panels 10. Fastened at convenient points o1 the cabinet 7 are cables 12 which extend up over pulley '13, journaled on the panels 19, the ables having secured to their free ends, suitable weights l-lsulleieutly heavy to nearly lilt the cabinet 7.

Any desi able or preferred form o'l mechanism may be utilized whereby the cabinet may be elevated, and to that end a cable 15 is shown (Fig. el) attached at 15 to the movable cabinet 7, and led around suitable direction pulleys 16, 17 and 1S, and is secured to a lever 19 pivoted at 20, and supported in a slotted rail 21. To raise the abinet, the lever 19 is firmly turned toward the left, thus pulling the cable 15 around pulley 18, and slowly raising the cabinet, and when this has reached its maximum, a spring 22 snaps up against the lever 19 and retains the parts in their position. In order to release the lever 19 irom spring 22, it is only necessary to push down a small knob 29 formed upon the outer end of a pivoted arm 2st, resting upon the tree end of the spring 22. When the lever 19 has thus been released, the weights 14; will allow the cabinet to go down, the operator still holding lever 19.

For the purpose of locking the cabinet simultaneously with the locking of the drawers of the desk, a bolt of a lock 2G is effective against a small bell-crank 27, mounted in a channel eut in the top 2, to thrust a rod 2S into a recess 29 in the cabinet top 2", thus preventing this from being opened while the desk is locked.

By this arrangement and design, it is manifest that I provide a desk that is at once lsimple, convenient and which may be used as a, top-desk, or as a flat table at will, and hereby utilizing much space within the desk that is usually lost.

During the daytime when the desk is ordinarily in use the cabinet may be raised, and access easily had to the contents, when not iu actual use the cabinet may be lowered, and is then practically dust-proof.

Since the top 2.and top 2a are perfectly flush when the cabinet is lowered, the sur- 'tace is clear ot obstruction, and may be used in its entirety, this beingl an important advantage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination in a desk, of a main portion having an Opening in the rear, a vertically guided movable top, balance weights, pulleys and flexible connections whereby the top is normally depressed into the main portion, a lever, guide pulleys and flexible connections with the movable top whereby7 it may be raised and exposed above the desk, said lever being movable in a horizontal plane having its inner end pivotally secured to a fixed part of the desk, and said flexible connections extending to and being connected with the outer portion of the lever.

2. The combination in a desk, of a main open top portion, a supplemental portion guided and slidable through said opening, weights, pulleys and a flexible connection whereby 'the top is nearly balanced, with its surface flush with that of the main portion,

a locking mechanism to retain the parts in closed position, a lever and flexible Connections whereby the top may be raised above 'he desk level when released, said lever being horizontally disposed and having its inner end pivotally connected to a ixed part of the desk, and said connections being guided to and connected with the free end of the lever and. means for locking the top in said position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARCELLNO TOSO.

wWitnesses F. A. CUNNINGHAM, E. E. CUNNINGHAM. 

